It is a traffic that is growing every day.
However, its object is as unexpected as it is harmless: Bic's emblematic four-colour pen.
The precious tool, a must-have for schoolchildren's kits for several generations (it is over 50 years old), is more jealous than ever in playgrounds.
The key to its success?
it is “
particularly simple to use, affordable, of high quality and above all reliable.
You can write for more than 8 kilometers in a row before you run out of ink
”, highlights the group's communication department.
But this renewed popularity, which is felt on sales, also causes its share of tensions and competition between comrades.
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"A collector's item"
Muriel, an English teacher in a college in the south of France, is on the front line of this "
four-color mania
" which seems to affect a large part of the country's secondary schools.
“
It seems anecdotal at first glance, but this pen creates a lot of problems between students.
Thefts are legion in the classrooms,
” she reports.
Indeed, the four-color is now seen as a collector's item, a trophy to be obtained at all costs.
Panoply of 15 pens in four different colors in the kit, "
customization
", quest for the rare object,... "O
You might say it's just a pen after all, but the four-color is often the only one students have in their kit.
Having it stolen often represents a new expense of 2 or 3 euros each time, and for some families this can represent a certain significant cost,
” says Muriel.
“
In addition, some thefts are part of a much broader framework of harassment against certain students;
who are specifically and systematically targeted by thieves,
” she concludes.
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But where does this strong attraction of the youngest for this flagship product from Bic come from?
Beyond this recent acceleration, the four-color pen has always enjoyed a certain popularity among the youngest.
Founded in 1945 by Marcel Bich, Bic - whose capital was still 44.8% owned in 2019 by the founder's family - capitalizes heavily on the popularity of its star product and does not hesitate to develop new ranges.
“
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the four colors in 2010, we decided to put on sale an edition with an apple green body and offering offbeat colors.
Since then, we have multiplied the special editions with, for example, a four-color imitation wood or solidarity editions, the profits of which are often redistributed to associations.
“, we explain.
The multiplication of “
styles
” in four different colors naturally reinforces the attraction of the youngest for the pen.
“
Students want the most diverse array of four colors possible,
” says Muriel.
"
The color blue, gold, pink and so on, it's up to whoever has the most original Bic
".
A “made in France” product
This trend observed in the playgrounds is fully reflected in the levels of sale of the pen.
“
We note, over five years, a 50% increase in sales of four colors in France and 20% between 2020 and 2021 alone
” indicates the Bic Group.
The reliability of the product for 50 years and the diversification of styles of four colors sold therefore seem to be paying off, and reflects the overall good health of the group.
Indeed, Bic ranks as the world number 2 for all that is "
writing instruments
» [8% of global market share] thanks, in part, to the policy of diversification towards other product ranges [such as lighters] and internationalization that began in the 1970s, which enabled it to compete with the giants stationery like Waterman or Reynolds.
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However, despite its global presence, the group remains strongly rooted in its country of origin, France.
"
The French market remains the most demanding of our products, and in particular of our four colors
" indicates Bic.
“
Besides, it is in France, and more precisely in the Bic factory in Montévrain located in Seine-et-Marne that most of the four colors sold in the world are manufactured
”.
The Montévrain plant produces more than 240,000 four colors per day, or more than 7.2 million per month.
A certain popularity and quality for a cult pen and "
made in France
".
